Four Days in July
by Casey's Cupcake
Summary: Madeleine Coventry and Matthew Casey were happier than they had ever been. Finally reunited after a 16 year separation, they were beginning to plan their wedding...until Madeleine suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Where could Madeleine be and will Casey ever find her...or is she gone forever? Sequel to "Playing With Fire".
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

**I tried to open my eyes, but the lids felt like they were weighted down or glued shut. All I could see out of the cracks of my lids was pitch black without so much as a glimmer of light. The pounding in my head was so severe I thought I might vomit. Whatever was underneath my head felt damp against my cheek and smelled of mold. The air felt cool and damp and had a musty odor. My shoulders ached and the backs of my legs were cramping. I tried to shift my position, but when I did, I the pain in my wrists and ankles was excruciating. It was then that I realized that they had been bound with restraints of some kind that cut into my skin when I moved. My mouth was dry and my tongue was stuck to the cloth that was gagging me. As I lay there trying not to move and listening for any kind of sound that might give me a clue as to where I was, blurry images of what had happened started to form in the darkness that surrounded me.**

**"****Are the restraints really necessary?" I heard a male voice say in the distance. My ears strained as I tried to listen.**

**"****You told me to secure her, boss" another male voice said.**

**"****I said secure...not hog tie. She's in pain, for Christ's sake. Take them off….NOW," the first voice said, shouting. I could hear gravelly footsteps echoing around me as they came closer, getting louder with each step. I felt something smooth and cold against my left wrist and heard the snap of plastic. I could feel the tension in my arms and shoulders release. A fiery pain ran down from the back of my neck to my fingertips as I moved my arms. A muffled cry escaped my lips as someone took me by the shoulders and pulled me to an upright position. I felt hands behind my head, pulling at the ends of the cloth that was tied around my eyes until a flash of light broke the darkness I had been in. I shielded my eyes as they adjusted to the sudden rush of light. I slowly recognized my surroundings as the warehouse Stephen bought for me. The very property we were supposed to have a meeting about on Monday.**

**"****Hello, Madeleine," I heard voice say from behind me I felt a chill go up and down my spine, like someone had taken the tip of an icicle and ran it down my back. I knew that voice. It was unmistakable, even after three years.**

**"****Stephen?" I said in an stunned and confused voice as the image of my ex-husband materialized in front of me. He seemed larger to me, like a giant oak tree, as he stared down at me with his hands folded in front of him. He was all in black, which was typical for him, including his jet black hair which he fastidiously dyed every two weeks. **

**"****Have you missed me, gorgeous? I've missed you," he said.**

**"****So you decided to kidnap me?" I said as I tried unsuccessfully to choke back tears. **

**"****Kidnap? Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart. You belong to me and you always will," he said.**

**"****You're insane," I said as I rubbed at my sore, swollen wrists.**

**"****And you're still the weak, emotional bitch you always were. This is going to be way too easy," he said, smirking at me. **

**"****Fuck you," I heard myself say to him. He squatted down in front of me and pinched my mouth between his fingers.**

**"****You kiss that fireman of yours with that mouth?" he said, still smirking at me before he let me go with a shove. I sat there in stunned silence. **

**"****Did I surprise you, gorgeous?" he asked as he paced around me slowly, twisting his pinky ring around and around.**

**"****What the hell are you talking about?" I asked.**

**"****I'm talking about Lieutenant Matthew Casey, Madeleine. Don't pretend you don't know who that is and I won't pretend like I didn't know you were in love with him while we were married," he said. I was speechless. I had never once mentioned Matthew in the entire time I had known Stephen. The only time he became aware of Matt was the day of my mother's funeral and even then, I only introduced him as a friend from high school.**

**"****What's it to you? It's not like I rubbed it in your face or cheated on you with him...unlike you who dropped your pants for every secretary, sales girl and waitress between Albany and Hoboken," I said, spitting the words out like venom I had sucked from a snake bite.**

**"****But you were the only one that I ever loved," he said.**

**"****Bullshit," I said sarcastically. **

**"****It's true, Madeleine," he said quietly. He sounded surprisingly sincere, a rare thing for someone in real estate and even rarer for Stephen Gage. **

**"****And that's supposed to make everything alright?" I asked, feeling my anger rise. **

**"****It does for me," he said, his voice still low. Did he really believe his affairs were absolved because he says he loved me the whole time? In the three years since we had been divorced, his ego must have tripled in size.**

**"****Does that have anything to do with why I'm here?" I asked.**

**"****Yes….and no," he said, tucking his hand under his chin, as if he was thinking about his answer.**

**"****Goddammit, Stephen! Tell me!" I stood up from the creaky bed I had been sitting on as I screamed at him.**

**"****Sit back down, Madeleine….or I'll have Danny restrain you again," he growled.**

**"****What's happened to you? You're the most successful realtor in Westchester, not some Mafia boss who has his lackey kidnap his ex-wife," I said, trying to pleadl to his sensible side...the side he had shown most often to me when we were together.**

**"****Divorce happened, Madeleine. A divorce that you filed for that ended up ruining me," he said, sounding more angry with each word he spoke.**

**"****Oh please, our divorce settlement barely put a dent in your assets and you know it," I said.**

**"****I don't mean financially, for Christ's sake! I have money socked away all over the world that you and that fancy divorce lawyer of yours never even knew about. I meant it ruined me…...ME," he snapped.**

**"****It was your wandering penis that ruined you, not me," I said. **

**"****Our marriage was ruined the day that Matt Casey walked into Bennett & Sons Funeral Home. We had only been married a month, but I knew it," he said.**

**"****How the hell do you know so much about him and me anyway? It's not like I carried on about him in front of you," I said.**

**"****Jesus Christ, Madeleine...don't you think I did my homework when you and I started dating? I had a real estate empire to protect," he said, sounding annoyed.**

**"****But what does that have to do with now? This?" I said, pointing to my injured wrists.**

**"****You think I'm just gonna let him take what's mine so easily?" he shouted at me.**

**"****He's not interested in this dump. You're wasting your time," I said.**

**"****It's not the warehouse I'm referring to, Madeleine. Are you really that stupid?" he said with a nasty chuckle. I could feel my blood pressure rise as he insulted me, butI had to stay calm and hold my tongue until I knew why he had brought me here. **

**"****You can't possibly mean me," I said.**

**"****Can't I?" he asked. I wave of nausea came over me as the realization of why I was here came crashing into me. **

**"****Stephen, please…." I said in a weak voice. He knelt down in front of me again, laid his hands on my knees and looked directly into my eyes.**

**"****No one in the history of the Gagliano family has ever split up before until you filed for divorce, Madeleine. I lost the respect of my familia and my entire network of people. My own father will not speak to me, even three years later. After everything I've lost because of you, do you really think I'm gonna just let you walk back into Casey's arms that easily? No fucking way, Madeleine Gage...no fucking way," he said. He slowly slid his hands up my thighs and under the hem of my dress. I felt the sickness in my stomach rise up again.**

**"****Madeleine Coventry, you son of a bitch," I said just before grabbing his hands and spitting in his face. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his cheek. Then he slowly stood up and stared at me. In one quick movement, he raised his hand up and brought it down across my face. The force with which he hit me made my head swim and I felt the cool gold prongs of the Gagliano insignia pinky ring dig into my face. I pressed the palm of my hand firmly into my cheek to stop the stinging, but I couldn't stop the tears from falling.**

**"****We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way, gorgeous. The choice is yours. Danny, tie her back up," he said as he walked away from me and out of the room.. Danny lumbered over from the far wall, with what looked like large plastic twist ties in his hands.**

**"****Lie down on your back," he said in a surprisingly soft voice. He gently spread my legs and shackled each ankle to the foot rail of the cot, then shackled each wrist to the metal bars underneath the mattress.**

**"****Ill be back in a little while with some food and water. You just lay there quietly until then, OK Mrs. Gage?" he said. **

**"****It's Ms. Coventry," I said weakly as the tears spilled from my eyes sideways and down onto the mattress. He gave me what I thought was a faint smile before leaving me alone. I laid there quietly crying, not knowing what time it was or what day it was or what Stephen was capable of doing to me or Matthew.**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

**"****This has Voight's name written all over it!. You know it as well as I do," said Matthew as he paced around Antonio Dawson's office at the Chicago Police Department. It had been twelve hours since Madeleine had gone missing and Matt, growing weary of the police officers that had showed up at the scene in Lakeshore's parking lot, had busted into the Homicide Department just before 7:00 AM.**

**"****Look, Matt...we don't know that for sure. In fact, we don't know anything at all right now except that we can't file a missing persons report until she's been gone for twenty-four hours, so sit your ass down," said Antonio.**

**"****In twenty-four hours, she could be dead….if she isn't already," said Matt. He reluctantly sat in the chair at the side of Antonio's desk and put his head in his hands. He was near exhaustion and was full of anger and frustration and most of all, fear. He felt helpless and lost, waiting for the CPD to pull an investigation together to find out where his fiancee was before it was too late.**

**"****Hey man, I know what you're going through, OK? Escalante's guys will be on it and will do whatever it takes to find Maddy. Hang in there," said Antonio, putting his hand on Matt's arm as he tried unsuccessfully to give him some reassurance.**

**"****Easier said than done," said Matt. He slumped down in his chair and let his head drop backwards. His eyes were throbbing from lack of sleep, so he covered his face with his hands to shield them from the bright fluorescent lights overhead. **

**"****I know," said Antonio. Just then, Dawson's desk phone buzzed and Matt's short respite from the horrible reality was interrupted. He heard Antonio talking but had no idea what he was saying. His brain hadn't been functioning since 7:00 the night before when Madeleine never showed up for their appointment with the events planner at The Drake. His world had been spinning out of control ever since. **

**"****Escalante and Wilmont want to see you now. Are you up for this?" asked Antonio as he stood up from his chair.**

**"****I'll do whatever it takes to bring her home," said Matt. Antonio put his arm around Matt's shoulders as they walked to Chief Escalante's office. His secretary buzzed them inside and the two of them sat in front of the Chief's desk. John Escalante was a slight man with glasses and an skimpy mustache that made him look a lot younger than his fifty-seven years. Leaning against the window sill behind him was a tall man with copper-colored hair and a tattoo of a tiger on his left forearm who the Dawson introduced as Detective Michael "Mickey" Wilmont. All four of the men shook hands before sitting down to begin talking about the details of Madeleine's disappearance.**

**"****Standard procedure for this Bureau is to wait a full twenty-four hours before we can begin a missing person's investigation, Lieutenant Casey...but out of respect for Dawson's reputation in the CPD and the fact that you're a good friend of his, we're bumping it up," said Escalante.**

**"****Thank you. I appreciate that more than you know," said Matt. **

**"****I know you're probably exhausted and your mind is going in fifty different directions right now, Lieutenant...but I'll need to ask you some questions about you, Ms. Coventry and everything the two of you did last night, leading up to when she disappeared," said Det. Wilmont.**

**"****I understand. Where do you want me to start?" said Matt.**

**"****You were on shift yesterday at House 51, weren't you?" asked the Detective.**

**"****Yes, until 8:00 yesterday morning," said Matt.**

**"****Did you go directly home?" asked Wilmont.**

**"****Yes, I left the station around 8:10 AM and drove straight home," said Matt.**

**"****Was Ms. Coventry at home when you arrived?" asked WIlmont.**

**"****Yes she was," said Matt.**

**"****Is that normal for her...to be home when you get off shift?" asked the detective.**

**"****No, she's usually already at work by the time I get off shift, but she had planned on getting to work at 9:00 yesterday instead of 8:00 so she could leave for The Drake without taking personal time to do it," said Matt.**

**"****Any idea why she didn't want to use her benefit time?" asked Wilmont.**

**"****She wanted to save all of her vacation and personal time for our honeymoon in October," said Matt, his voice cracking slightly.**

**"****I know this is hard, man….but you're doing great," said Antonio. Matt drew in a deep breath as Wilmont continued his questioning.**

**"****Did you and Ms. Coventry talk when you got home?" he asked.**

**"****Of course we did," said Matt sounding annoyed. Antonio touched Matt's arm to remind him that every question was necessary no matter how ridiculous or mundane it seemed.**

**"****What time did Ms. Coventry leave for work that day?" he asked.**

**"****Around 11:30, I think," said Matt.**

**"****But you said earlier that she was going in at 9:00. Which is it, Lieutenant?" he asked.**

**"****She had planned on going in at 9:00 but she called her secretary and told her she'd be in at 1:00 instead," said Matt.**

**"****And why was that?" asked the detective. **

**"****We hadn't spent a whole lot of time together in the last month and…." said Matt before he was interrupted by Wilmont.**

**"****Were the two of you having problems?" he asked.**

**"****Would we be planning our wedding if we were?" shouted Matt. He rubbed his face and stared down at the floor for a few seconds to compose himself.**

**"****I'm sorry. My nerves are shot," said Matt.**

**"****Are you alright, Lieutenant? Do you need a few minutes? I could have Jackie get you some water or coffee if you'd like," asked the Chief. Matt lifted his head to look at the at him and slowly shook his head no.**

**"****What happened between the time Ms. Coventry called her secretary and when she left for Lakeshore?" asked the detective.**

**"****We...had sex...and then took a shower together. She made breakfast while I fixed the hot water heater. Afterwards, I got into bed to get some sleep while she got ready for work. I asked her to call off and stay home with me. I've been working a lot of extra shifts to get more vacation time for our honeymoon. That's why we hadn't been spending much time together and I wanted to spend the day with her. Are you happy now?" snapped Matt.**

**"****And why didn't she stay home?" he asked.**

**"****She said she had a meeting at 2:00 that she couldn't miss," said Matt.**

**"****So she left around 11:30 for a 2:00 meeting when Lakeshore is only a forty minute drive from your house," he stated.**

**"****Just what the hell are you implying, detective?" shouted Matt. Wilmont threw up his hands in exasperation while Antonio pulled Matt aside to try to get Matt to calm down.**

**"****We need five minutes, guys" said Antonio.**

**"****Matt, come on man...I know you're tired and on edge, but you know how this works. They have to go after every possible angle and if you want to find Maddy you need to cooperate with them. It's just that simple. It's not personal," said Antonio.**

**"****I know, but in the ten minutes we've been in there, he's hinted twice that I might have had something to do with Maddy's disappearance. It's pissing me off," said Matt.**

**"****That's his job, Matt, and as much as he's pissing you off, if you piss him off they'll bury this case in the pile of hundreds of other missing persons files in this city. You got me?" said Antonio.**

**"****OK, ok….I get it," said Matt.**

**So why did Maddy leave so early?" asked Antonio.**

**"****She said she wanted to see her father first before she went to the office. Oh shit...I forgot about him. I'm supposed to pick him up from the hospital this morning at 10:30," said Matt, suddenly sounding panicked.**

**"****Calm down, Matt. We'll dispatch an officer over to Lakeshore to tell him what's going on," said Antonio.**

**"****No, you can't do that. He just recovered from heart surgery. News like this would kill him for sure," said Matt.**

**"****Is there anyone else you can call?" asked Antonio. Matt thought for a minute.**

**"****Severide...Kelly Severide. He and Maddy dated for a few months. He knows Jim well and Jim trusts him. He could tell him I got tied up on a construction job, and couldn't pick him up," said Matt.**

**"****I'll take care of that. You go get yourself some water and calm down before we go back in there," said Antonio, pointing towards the water cooler in the corner of the hallway. As Dawson made the call, Matt poured some water into one of the cone-shaped cups from the holder and drank it down quickly. He refilled it two more times before Chief Escalante called them both back inside the office.**

**"****You ready to finish this now?" asked Antonio.**

**"****Yeah, let's do this. Did you get a hold of Severide?" asked Matt.**

**"****Yeah... I explained what's happened and he said he'll take care of it. He also told me to tell you that he'll let the guys at the house know and someone named Em," said Antonio.**

**"****Emily Morrison. She's Maddy's best friend," said Matt.**

**"****Do you think she might know anything about this?" asked Antonio as they walked back inside the office.**

**"****She might. Maddy confides a lot in Emily. It's a girlfriend thing," said Matt.**

**"****OK, we'll call her in for questioning," said Antonio. The two men sat back down in their chairs and Mickey began the last of his questions.**

**"****I'm sorry about that, Mr. Casey. I have to ask those type of questions whether or not I want to," said the detective.**

**"****I know. Can we just get on with this now? Every minute counts," said Matt.**

**"****OK, we left off at Ms. Coventry leaving two and a half hours early for a 2:00 meeting at Lakeshore. Can you explain that?" asked Mickey.**

**"****Yes...her father is in the hospital recovering from heart surgery and she wanted to visit with him first before going to her office. He's being discharged today and she wanted to talk to him about the home services she'd set up for him," said Matt.**

**"****And did you hear from her later in the day?" asked Mickey.**

**"****Yes, she texted me around 5:00 to say she was in an emergency Board of Directors meeting and that she wouldn't make dinner and would meet me at the hotel at 7:00," said Matt.**

**"****But you met her at Lakeshore instead? That's what the police report says," said Mickey.**

**"****Yeah. I didn't want her eating out of vending so I brought dinner to her office and we ate together," said Matt.**

**"****And then what?" asked Mickey.**

**"****And then we ate and left for the hotel around 7:00," said Matt.**

**"****But I thought you said your appointment with the events planner was at 7:00?" asked Mickey.**

**"****It was, but I called her to see if we could push it back an hour," said Matt.**

**"****Why was that?" asked MIckey. Matt hesitated for a few seconds before answering.**

**"****Lieutenant?" asked Mickey**

**"****Because we….had sex again...in her office," said Matt, in a low voice.**

**"****Wow, Lieutenant. Twice in one day. I'm impressed," said Mickey, smirking slightly.**

**"****Actually, it was three times in one day...if you're keeping count," said Matt. Wilmont seemed slightly embarrassed by his own flip comment and by Matt's reply,so he brushed over it by continuing the questioning.**

**"****And afterwards, what happened?" asked Mickey.**

**"****We headed down to the parking lot to leave. Maddy said she forgot her car keys and went back up to get them. She told me to go on and that she'd meet me at the hotel," said Matt.**

**"****You didn't drive together in the same car?" asked Mickey.**

**"****No. She wanted to stop after our appointment and pick up a few things for her Dad before going home," said Matt.**

**"****So did you see her go back into the hospital to get her keys?" asked Mickey.**

**"****I watched her go through the front doors of the building and then I headed to the hotel. That was the last time I saw her," said Matt, choking up.**

**"****OK, Lieutenant. I think we have enough information to get started on this. We're still examining her vehicle and items left at the scene. We'll be searching Ms. Coventry's office today as well. If we need anything more, we'll call you," said Chief Escalante, extending his hand to Matt. Matt reached out at shook it firmly.**

**"****Thank you, Mr. Casey….I know that wasn't easy for you," said Mickey. Matt nodded, then turned around and walked out the office with Antonio.**

**"****What now?" said Matt.**

**"****Now, we wait until they examine all the evidence and come up with any leads to follow. In the meantime, you go home and get some sleep. You're no good to anyone in this condition," said Antonio.**

**"****Sleep? How can I sleep when my fiancee is missing? She's my life, Antonio," said Matt.**

**"****I know, man...I know," said Antonio.**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

**I was startled out of a restless sleep by the sound of a door banging against open at the far end of the room. It echoed throughout the cavernous confines of my prison and reverberated off the peeling paint of the stuccoed walls, making my ears hurt. Instinctively, I tried to cover my ears until I heard the clang of the restraints against the metal bar that supported the mattress. The steel grazed the wounds on my wrists, causing me to wince and reminding me that I was a being used as a pawn in some twisted game that Stephen was playing. Judging by the light outside the large Andersen windows that lined the top of the 12 foot high walls, I guess that it was late afternoon. I had no conception of the day or time. I had no idea who was approaching me as I was faced in the direction opposite from the door.**

**"****Are you hungry, miss? I have some food here," I heard Danny's voice say. I heard the noise of metal scraping against metal and saw Danny dragging a table over beside the bed where I was laying. He set what looked like two bags from a fast food place down on it, then pulled over two chairs, one on either side of the table. He then took off the restraints on my wrists and ankles and helped me to sit up.**

**"****Thank you…" I said, hesitating slightly because I had forgotten his name.**

**"****Danny, miss….come sit here," he said, pulling out one of the chairs and patting the seat.**

**"****Thank you, Danny," I said. I got up from the cot and sat in the chair he had pulled out for me. **

**"****Water?" he said, holding out a large bottle of it in front of me. My mouth was dry and my head was pounding...a sure sign I was becoming dehydrated. I took the bottle from his hands, quickly took off the cap and glugged down almost half of it in record time. I set the bottle down on the table in front of me and almost immediately let out an unexpected belch.**

**"****Oh God...excuse me. I don't normally do that," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed.**

**"****You must have been thirsty! Cheeseburger?" said Danny as he set it next to the water bottle. As soon as I could smell the burger my mouth started to water. I ripped the paper off and tucked into like a ravenous wildebeest, chomping away while Danny gave me a container of french fries. I felt as if I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink in days.**

**"****What time is it?" I asked. Danny looked at his wrist watch.**

**"****It's ten minutes to five, miss," he said.**

**"****And what day is it?" I asked between bites of food.**

**"****It's Wednesday, miss. We took you….I mean...we got here last night which was Tuesday," said Danny, looking slightly embarrassed by his slip of the tongue. He was being so polite and genteel that it was hard to believe that he had been the one to place the chloroform over my mouth and tie me up like an animal. I unconsciously rubbed my wrists as it hit me that I had been taken less than twenty-four hours ago and that a missing persons report wouldn't have been filed yet.**

**"****I'm sorry about that, miss. I didn't realize how tight I had those things," said Danny, looking remorseful. He reached into the second bag on the table and pulled out a tube of antibiotic cream and a box of gauze.**

**"****Call me Madeleine...please," I said, trying to appeal to the soft side of him. The more we talked, the more obvious it was becoming to me. I began to see a glimmer of hope among the dingy ruins of the warehouse.**

**"****I don't think Mr. Gage would like that," said Danny.**

**"****He doesn't have to know. Just don't call me that when he's around," I said.**

**"****I don't know.." he said, still sounding hesitant.**

**"****You think about it, OK?" I asked. **

**"****OK. Did you get enough to eat?" he said.**

**"****I did, thank you...but is there a bathroom in this place? I really need to pee and wash myself up a little," I said. His smiled and blushed slightly before pointing to a door at the back of the room.**

**"****In there," he said. I got up from the table and started to walk towards the back of the room.**

**"****Ummm...miss...I mean, Madeleine? I think I should go with you...in case Mr. Gage comes," he said, stammering over his words.**

**"****How about you stand outside the door? Look around, Danny….I'm not about to go anywhere. I'll even leave the door unlocked," I said.**

**"****OK then...but make it quick," he said. I could tell by the look on his face that he was scared of Stephen, even though he was three inches taller and had at least 60 lbs on him.**

**"****I promise," I said, making an 'X' across my heart. I pushed the door open and a hot, damp, moldy stench immediately hit me in the face and went up my nostrils. I could feel the food I had just eaten rise up from my stomach and into my throat. I drew a breath in and held it as I hurried into one of the stalls to use the toilet. The pain and pressure in my bladder was so intense that I didn't care about the condition of it. I pulled my underwear down and hovered over it, trying not to touch the porcelain with the back of my legs or thighs. Luckily, there was still paper in the dispenser and I didn't have to drip dry as I had anticipated. I came out of the stall went straight to the sink. I hadn't showered since yesterday morning and my body felt sticky. I ran the water in the sink. It was the color of rust, but it was cool so I splashed some on my cheeks and forehead. I caught a glimpse of my pale face in the broken mirror over the sink. The image was distorted but I could see my swollen eyes and the scratch on my cheek caused by Stephen's ring.**

**"****Son of a bitch," I muttered.**

**"****Are you alright, miss?" I heard Danny's voice call from the other side of the door. **

**"****Yes. I'll be out in two minutes," I answered. I untied my wrap dress and removed my arms from the sleeves to wash my upper body. I pulled some paper towels out of the dispenser and dipped them in the pool of water in the sink. It felt refreshing against my skin as I ran the wet paper over my neck. I lifted my left arm and caught a glimpse of something purple peeking out through the white lace of my bra.**

**"****Oh my God," I whispered as I realized it was my cell phone. Matthew had tucked in there after we had made love in my office bathroom. I couldn't remember whether it had been on or off when he put in there, but I was praying it wasn't dead. I don't remember feeling it vibrate and I certainly didn't hear it ring, but then again, I had been knocked out and not likely to have heard or felt much. I reached into my bra to take it out.**

**"****Time's up, miss," Danny said as he opened the door slightly. I quickly shoved it back into its place and tied up my dress.**

**"****OK," I called back. **

**"****I'll bring you a comb and some other stuff tomorrow...to make you more comfortable," he said as I sat down at the table. He tenderly dressed the cuts on my wrists and bandaged them up.**

**"****That feels much better...thank you, Danny," I said, laying my hand on his forearm.**

**"****You're welcome...Madeleine…" he said, showing me that shy smile again. I felt as if I was connecting with Danny on a personal level now and that could only be good for me.**

**"****You're calling her 'Madeleine' now, for Christ's sake? Who the fuck told you you could disrespect her like that, Danny?" bellowed Stephen from halfway across the room. Danny and I both jumped at the sound of his voice and I felt my heart begin to race. The last thing I wanted to do was get Danny in trouble with Stephen.**

**"****Mr. Gage...I...umm...I'm sorry...I didn't mean…" stammered Danny as Stephen approached him. My inner voice was saying ****"****_you can take him, Danny...pound the shit out of him". _****Stephen had fire in his eyes.**

**"****Stephen, don't...it's my fault. I told him to call me that!" I shouted. Stephen stopped just in front of Danny. He was breathing heavily and and his fists were clenched. He never took his eyes off of him. Danny's eyes were wide and his face was pale. Clearly, he was afraid of Stephen, which puzzled me.**

**"****Get the fuck out of here," he said, dismissing Danny with a wave of his hand. Danny ran towards the door, turning around briefly to look at me before he disappeared into the hallway.**

**"****He's loyal to you and you treat him like that?" I said.**

**"****He's loyal to me ****_because_****I treat him like that. He respects my authority," he said back.**

**"****That's not respect, Stephen…that's fear," I said.**

**"****Either way, I win," said Stephen, smirking at me.**

**"****And just what is it you expect to win in all of this?" I asked. **

**"****You," he said smugly.**

**"****That will never happen," I said.**

**"****Come on, gorgeous...it wasn't all bad, was it?" he said in an oily voice. I could feel my stomach flip as he caressed my face with his fingers. My first inclination was to spit at him again, but that would only anger him.**

**"****No, it wasn't," I said quietly. It was the truth. I did have a few nice memories.**

**"****Oh baby, did I do that?" he said as his fingertips grazed over the scratch on my face before kissing it. **

**"****You never once hit me in the entire time we were married," I said.**

**"****My father raised me to be a man who respects his wife," he said.**

**"****Really….and screwing around on her is respecting her?" I asked.**

**"****No...that was something different," he said.**

**"****How was it different? It certainly felt like disrespect to me," I said.**

**"****Those women meant nothing to me...you did," he said.**

**"****Is that supposed to make me feel better because it doesn't," I said.**

**"****It wasn't about love...just sex," he said.**

**"****But I always gave you sex whenever you wanted it," I said.**

**"****That's just it, Madeleine...you gave it to me, but you never asked for it. I always felt like you were just doing it because you had to, not because you wanted to. After a while, I looked elsewhere," he said.**

**"****But you knew I hadn't slept with many men before you. I was inexperienced," I said. Stephen said nothing. Instead, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He played with it for a minute, then stared at the screen for a few seconds.**

**"****You don't look inexperienced to me," he said, handing me the phone. I watched for a few seconds as a grainy video began to play. I immediately recognized the living room of my house, looking through the front windows from the porch. There I was on the couch, with my head in Matthew's lap, the night I had given him a blow job. Stephen said nothing as he took the phone from my hands. He handed it back to me almost immediately with another video playing. This one was of Matthew and I making love on the dining room table yesterday morning.**

**"****You're one sick son of a bitch," I said.**

**"****And you are a little liar. You look like you know exactly what you're doing. You never touched me or moved like that in our bed. Did you just pretend to be a lousy fuck with me or does he have something special that I don't?" he said.**

**"****Everything he is...everything he has...everything he brings to my life is special," I said through my tears.**

**"****But I loved you, Madeleine!" he yelled.**

**"****But I never loved you, Stephen! Can't you see that? It was him...it was always him!" I screamed back. In an instant, he moved directly in front of me, holding his right hand above his head. In one seamless movement, he brought his open palm down hard across my face. My head twisted to the side and I fell down onto the cot, trembling and sobbing. I felt a warm wet trickle run out of my left nostril, tasting my own blood as it oozed onto my lips. **

**"****If I can't have you, I will make damn sure that Matthew Casey will never have you either," he snarled. I was too weak to fight him as he bound my wrists and ankles again. I laid there sobbing as I heard him walk away from me and out of the room, slamming the door as he left.**

**"****Please find me, Matthew...I need you now more than ever….please, Matthew, please…." I said weakly before the spinning inside my head took over and everything went dark again.**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

**Matthew walked up the front steps of his house and put his key in the lock. He stood there motionless for several minutes before turning the key and opening the door. He laid his forehead on the hard mission oak and closed his eyes. He felt a heaviness in his chest as he thought about going inside and not finding Madeleine there. He had come home many times after shift to an empty house when she was already at work, but this time was different. She wasn't at work today. She wasn't with Emily today, shopping for wedding dresses. She wasn't out making arrangements for their wedding. He didn't know where she was or if she would ever be coming home again. He was all too aware of the statistics of missing persons in Chicago. He had avoided going home all day, choosing to sleep in his truck instead of their bed, knowing she may never be there with him again. He forced himself to go home based solely on the need to recharge his cell phone. He had been getting phone calls all day from practically everyone he knew asking if they could help in some way. All he wanted now was some solitude and enough battery power in his phone in case the CPD called him with news.**

**It was after 7:00 PM and an official missing persons report had been filed a few hours earlier. He prayed that now that the investigation was in full swing he would hear something from Wilmont or someone else from the Bureau of Detectives. All he wanted was a lead...one piece of information that might help them find her...but he had heard nothing all day. He was angry, he was exhausted, he was baffled and most of all, he was terrified. If Madeleine was taken away from him now, he knew he couldn't bear the grief. They had been apart for so long already and finding her again was the best thing that had ever happened to him since Hallie's death. He forced the idea out of his head as he walked up the stairs and into the master bath. He turned on the shower and pulled off his shirt, waiting for it to warm up. He opened the medicine cabinet, grabbed some ibuprofen and swallowed them down. He stared into the cabinet, scanning the contents slowly….her hairbrush, her birth control pills, her face wash and all of her cosmetics were there. He could feel the tears well up in his eyes as he thought about never seeing her face again. He looked at his own face in the mirror. It was unshaven and his hair was pushed up in the back from falling asleep against the backseat of his truck. He looked down into the sink and saw a few strands of her honey blonde hair in the sink. Without thinking, he balled up his fist and rammed it into the mirror.**

**"****Goddammit, Maddy….where the hell are you?!" he yelled as shards from the broken mirror shattered into the sink and all over the floor. He stood there looking at the mess around him, his knuckles dripping blood into the sink. He began to shake as uncontrollable sobs wracked his body. He shut off the shower and carefully bandaged the cuts on his hands. He walked out of the bathroom and collapsed on the bed. He pulled one of the pillows up close to him, wanting just to shut his eyes for an hour or so and drift off into a dead thoughtless sleep, but thoughts of Madeleine quickly filled his head. Her scent was all over the sheets and he buried his face deep into a pillow and continued to cry. He felt helpless and weak and emotionally drained. He hadn't eaten anything since he and Madeleine had dinner in her office last night. He rolled over onto his back, pulling the pillow with him. He closed his eyes and imagined her lying on top of him as he hugged it close to him and breathed in her perfume. The scent of her both comforted and tormented him, letting him drift off into a restless sleep.**

**He was awakened by the sound of loud banging on the front door. He struggled to lift his head off the bed and look at the clock on the bedside table. It was 8:15 PM. He had been asleep for over an hour but still felt like he hadn't slept in days. He slowly lumbered out of bed and walked down the stairs, hoping to see a detective standing on the porch. Instead, he could see Severide and Em peering through the glass in the door. He opened the door and Em bolted inside and grabbed him around the neck in a death grip. She clung to him as she cried and all he could do was stand there until she let go of him. Severide stood silent in the entry hall with his hands stuffed into the front pockets of his jeans. Em finally let him go and stepped back towards Severide, who put his arm around her shoulder.**

**"****Have you heard anything?" asked Kelly.**

**"****Not a word," said Matt.**

**"****What the hell are they doing? Waiting to find her body in Lake Michigan for fuck's sake?" yelled Em. Kelly pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head.**

**"****Come on, Bruiser...don't think like that," he said.**

**"****Where's our girl, Casey?" she asked as tears continued to run down her face.**

**"****I wish I knew," he said quietly.**

**"****They have no leads yet?" asked Kelly.**

**"****Nothing...except that all of her personal belongings were found at the scene. Her purse, her keys, everything. They were supposed to search her office today," said Matt.**

**"****Is there anything I can do?" asked Kelly.**

**"****No...but thanks. You helped me a lot by picking up Maddy's father this morning. Is he alright? What did you tell him?" asked Matt.**

**"****He's fine. I told him that you had an unexpected construction thing across town and that Maddy was sick in bed with the flu. Shay's with him now. I told him Maddy set that up," said Kelly.**

**"****Good thinking. I'll call him tomorrow. Christ, I dread having to tell him the truth," said Matt.**

**"****Maybe you won't have to," said Kelly. Matt nodded his head up and down as he walked to the couch and sat down.**

**"****Have they called you in for questioning yet? Detective Wilmont said he would be contacting you," Matt asked Emily.**

**"****No, not yet….but I'll tell them everything I know. Did you eat?" said Em, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. **

**"****No. My stomach has been in knots all day," said Matt. Em got up from the couch, hugged Matt and disappeared into the kitchen.**

**"****Boden call you?" asked Kelly.**

**"****Yeah. He told me to take as much time as I need and offered everyone's help and support," said Matt.**

**"****Are you gonna take some time off?" asked Kelly.**

**"****I need to keep busy, otherwise I'll be out there looking for her. I'll be back on shift Thursday," said Matt.**

**"****I hear ya. She's been a wreck all day. I've been trying to keep her busy, too," said Kelly, nodding towards the kitchen. Both of them could hear Em rattling around in the cupboards and making banging noises.**

**"****I'll bet. She and Maddy are very close," said Matt. **

**"****How are you holding up?" asked Kelly. Matt held up his bloody bandaged hand.**

**"****Go ask the bathroom mirror," said Matt. **

**"****Sorry, stupid question," said Kelly. Just then, Em came back out of the kitchen carrying a tray.**

**"****Eat," she said as she set the tray down in front of Matt. On it was a plate of scrambled eggs, toast and a glass of chocolate milk. He was about to put up a mild protest until he saw the stern look on Em's face and the aroma of the food hit his nose. He ate almost ravenously and washed it all down with the milk. He had to admit that he felt a little better...at least physically.**

**"****I feel so useless just sitting here," said Matt.**

**"****So do I. I have half a mind to go out and find the son of a bitch who kept calling her. I know in my gut that they've got something to do with this," said Em, looking out the front windows. Matt immediately jerked his head around to look at her.**

**"****What? What calls? When?" asked Matt, looking anxious and confused.**

**"****You mean she didn't tell you?" asked Em. Her face turned white as a sheet.**

**"****Tell me what?" asked Matt, walking over closer to where Em was standing.**

**"****She'd been getting these weird hang up phone calls on her cell and at work. I told her to tell you about them. She said she would. I made her call you Monday night so she could talk to you about it," said Em.**

**"****She didn't have time. We had a run and I had to cut the calls short," said Matt.**

**"****She kept saying they were just pranks and that I shouldn't worry," said Em. She was starting to cry again.**

**"****You think it could be related?" asked Kelly.**

**"****I don't know, but it's worth a shot. I'm calling Detective Wilmont right now. Is there anything else I should know? Even something that seems innocuous could be really important, Em, " said Matt. **

**"****Yeah, there's more," she said. With that, Matt pulled his cell phone from the front pocket of his jeans and dialed Wilmont's number.**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

**I woke slowly as the sun moved high enough to spill in through the high windows of the warehouse. A bright beam of light hit me directly in the face and I could feel beads of sweat forming on my upper lip and forehead. My arms and legs were still shackled to the bed frame and were stiff and sore. I felt dirty and sticky, like the floor in a movie theater after a Saturday matinee and I'm sure that Stephen enjoyed seeing me like this. From what I had seen of him, he had become bitter and vengeful in the three years since our divorce. I thought I knew the kind of man he was, but he was nothing like that now. For the first time since I had known him, I was scared of him and what he might do to me or Matthew. **

**I could hear gravelly footsteps coming up behind me and I prayed it would be Danny. I was hungry and needed to pee. He had been kind to me during this whole ordeal and I had hoped to keep playing on that side of him. Danny was a chance at freedom. Matthew was another. I knew that he would be turning over heaven and earth to find me. **

**"****Good morning, gorgeous. Did you sleep well?" said Stephen as he stood at the foot of the bed. I wanted to kick that goddamn smirk clean off his face. **

**"****Like a princess," I said sarcastically. He unlocked my ankles from the bed, then my wrists and pulled a chair over to the side of the bed. He sat there, his forearms resting on his knees, his hands intertwined, just watching me as I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair.**

**"****Well, you look like a dirty whore," he said.**

**"****Well, you should know. You're an expert on dirty whores," I said.**

**"****You've always got a fucking answer, don't you?" he said.**

**"****My mouth has never failed me," I said, rubbing my sore wrists.**

**"****No, it hasn't...especially when it's wrapped around that firefighter's cock. You never did that for me," he said. **

**"****That's mostly because I never knew where your cock had been," I said. He leaned forward slightly and dropped his head down, shaking it from side to side.**

**"****Why did you marry me, Madeleine? I mean, if you loved him all along, why marry me?" he asked, looking up at me again. **

**"****I wanted to move on with my life," I said.**

**"****Did you ever love me?" he asked. He face had an earnest look on it...something I hadn't seen since this whole ordeal started two days ago.**

**"****Yes, Stephen...I suppose I did," I said. It was a half-truth at best. There was a time when I felt close to him, admired him, was happy...but it wasn't love, not the kind of love I had always had for Matthew.**

**"****But not in the way you love him," he said. It was as if he was reading my mind.**

**"****No," I said. Succinct and honest.**

**"****And I suppose I didn't love you the way he does?" he asked. Before I could answer, he pulled his phone out and turned it around to me. There on the screen was a video of Matthew getting out of his truck on the street next to the firehouse. I watched as he walked up on the sidewalk and crossed in front of the apparatus doors. I could feel tears falling down my face as I watched Gabriela Dawson come out the side door, wrap her arms around him and hold him.**

**"****What are you trying to do?" I asked as I continued to cry.**

**"****Only trying to show you that your prince may not love you the way you think he does. Does that look like a man who is pining for his missing fiancee? He went back to work this morning, just two days after you disappeared," he said.**

**"****You don't know anything about him," I said, gritting my teeth.**

**"****I know more than you think I do...about both of you," he said. **

**"****You really need a hobby," I said.**

**"****I've had one for the last three years…you," he said.**

**"****Oh really...how am I supposed to believe that when I was the last goddamn thing you thought about when we were married?" I shouted.**

**"****I gave you everything you ever wanted, goddammit!" he screamed at me. **

**"****I never asked you for anything! Not one goddamn thing!" I screamed back at him.**

**"****Every woman wants something, Madeleine," he said.**

**"****I only ever wanted one thing," I said, hanging my head down. I watched as my tears fell down onto my dress, making grey colored splotches on the white fabric. **

**"****What was that?" Stephen asked. He placed a finger under my chin and tilted my face up.**

**"****For you to love me enough to make me forget him," I said. **

**"****I did, Madeleine. I loved you so much. You just didn't love me back enough to let yourself forget him," he said. He was right. I could never let go of Matthew's memory to let myself love anyone.**

**"****I tried...I honestly did, Stephen. I'm sorry," I said. **

**"****I'm afraid it's too late for sorry, gorgeous...but I must give you credit...you waited a respectable amount of time before hooking up with him again," he said.**

**"****I had no idea he was still here in Chicago. I figured he was married to that intern and had moved away," I said.**

**"****Which is why you spent most of your nights alone until that other fireman got his hooks into you. What was his name….Severide?" he said. I felt the bile rise in my throat as he spoke. He must have been watching me since the day I moved away.**

**"****Go to hell, you son of a bitch," I spat out.**

**"****I think I'd rather go to the fire academy. That way, maybe you'd fuck me on the dining room table like you did Casey," he said. **

**"****I'd rather cut my throat," I said. He started to walk away but turned around again after only a few steps. I braced myself for another slap across the face but at least this time I would be able to knee him in the balls. He moved in close to me and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, his face only a few inches from mine **

**"****No, baby...I'm not done with you yet," he said. **

**He squeezed the back of my neck as he pulled me in towards him and pressed his mouth roughly on mine. He slid his hand inside my bra and held my left breast as his tongue continued its assault on my mouth. He sucked on my lips for several minutes until I couldn't take it any more. I grabbed his wrist and yanked it out of my dress. He pulled away from my mouth and stared at me with an amused look on his face.**

**"****Don't ever touch me like that again," I said, seething with anger. A smirk crossed his face as he reached back into the other side of my bra and pulled my cell phone out. He looked at it for a minute, then threw it across the room. I heard the sound of shattering glass as it hit the door behind me.**

**"****See? I told you I know a lot about you," he whispered, putting his lips close to my ear.**

**"****Fuck you," I spat out.**

**"****That's my plan…. oh, and gorgeous? Don't think about trying to get out of here either just because I didn't tie you back up. I'm dead bolting the door from the other side," he said. **

**The echo of the big steel door as he slammed it shut drilled through my head like a bullet. I sat down at the table and put my head in my hands, wondering what I had done in my life that was so horrible that this should be happening to me now. I knew that marrying a man when when I was in love with another wasn't the best choice I had ever made, but I honestly thought that Stephen would make me forget about Matt once and for all. My intentions were good, but he saw through that somehow and knew all along that my heart wasn't in it. My heart has always belonged to Matthew Alan Casey and it always would. No threats that Stephen could make would ever change that. I decided then and there among the ruins of the warehouse that I wasn't going to cry any more. I was stronger than this and I wouldn't let Stephen break me. What Matthew and I shared was stronger than anything that Stephen could throw at us. If one or both of us ended up dead, we would still take that love with us and that was something Stephen Gage would never take from us.**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

**Matt Casey stared up at the ceiling as he lay on the bunk in his officer's quarters. He had been at it now for six hours, watching the clock turn every hour that passed 11:00 PM. It was now after 5:00 AM and it was obvious now that sleep was never going to come.. He thought going back to work would keep him busy enough that he wouldn't have to think about it. He didn't consider what he'd do at night when he was alone with his own thoughts. He had been turning over every little detail of the investigation in his mind as he tossed and turned, trying to come up with something...anything that would help put the pieces of her disappearance together, but they all seemed disjointed. Maybe Emily would share something with Wilmont that would shed some light on this whole thing. She had had an appointment at the CPD in just under three hours and he wanted to be there with her when Wilmont questioned her.**

**He got up from the bed and opened the blinds on the window that faced out onto the street. It was just before dawn and all the street lights were still on. The sky was streaked with purple and was dotted with puffs of grey that floated by as he watched. He wasn't really looking at the clouds; he was only aware of their slow movement in front of him. It seemed that the whole world was crawling at a snail's pace just when he needed it to go faster. He wanted everyone to be racing around the city to find the one person in the world that meant everything to him. Somewhere out there in the colorful Chicago sky was Madeleine. She had been gone for more than two days now and he was painfully aware that with every minute that passed, the chances of finding her were growing dimmer. **

**He closed the blinds and wiped away the few stray tears that had fallen onto his face. He walked over to his desk and picked up the picture of him and Madeleine from their camping trip to Channahon in June. He had proposed to her on that trip and had taken this picture of after she had said yes. She had no makeup on and her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail. She had begged him not to take the picture but he insisted, saying she had never looked more radiant. His heart ached as he looked at her now and he wondered if he would ever see that smile of hers again. He touched her face with the tip of his finger, smiling at the memories of those few days in the woods. The way he proposed to her in front of the fire, her jealousy over the waitress at the bar, the look on her face when he dragged her up on stage to sing and how she got even with him for making him play the fiddle. He remembered how they made love on the picnic table during an early morning thunderstorm and how he had never felt that close to another human being before. He remembered how she didn't want to leave there, savoring every moment that they had been alone together after spending so many years apart. **

**"****_I love you so much, Maddy...come home to me,"_****he said as he stared at their image in the little birch frame. He put the picture back down on his desk when he heard a light tapping on his door. He opened it to see Gabby Dawson standing there.**

**"****You're up early," he said.**

**"****I could say the same about you," she said. **

**"****Couldn't sleep," he said.**

**"****You okay? I mean, do you think being at work is the best place for you right now?" she asked.**

**"****No, Gabby...the best place for me is wherever Maddy is," he said.**

**"****Of course it is. Sorry, that was stupid question," she said, feeling stupid herself.**

**"****It's fine," said Matt.**

**"****You know Escalante's team is on this, right? And Antonio is doing everything he can," she said.**

**"****I know, Gabby...I know. It's just so hard waiting to hear something," said Matt. **

**"****Have faith, Matt. All of us here are praying for you...for both of you," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. He smiled at her but could only nod his head yes, afraid if he opened his mouth he would break down. As she walked away, he thought about how much he appreciated her attempt to offer him some comfort. He knew everyone would be praying for him, but he doubted that Gabby really wanted Maddy to come home, at least unconsciously. His affair with Gabby had been brief but it had also been intense, more so for her than him. When Maddy came back into his life, he could tell Gabby was not overjoyed. He had always felt that she had hung on to the hope that they would get back together.**

**He headed to the showers to get ready for the morning. He would be off shift at 8:00 AM and was planning on going straight to the CPD to be with Emily during her questioning. Severide wanted to come too. Kelly and Em were a good match. The fit well together, like two puzzle pieces. It was hard for Matt to believe that Kelly and Maddy had ever been a couple. Neither Maddy or Kelly ever spoke to Matt about that time and he was grateful for that. It was in the past and some things are better left unsaid. **

**As he was getting dressed and preparing to go to breakfast in the day room, he thought about the last time he and Maddy had been together. It had been in her private bathroom in her office. It wasn't the most romantic of encounters, but it was white hot with passion. He smiled to himself at the memory of her cell phone tumbling out of her bra. As professional as she was, she was always totally unguarded around him and he loved that about her. She was the reason he was silly and open to things now...like when he had tucked her phone back into her bra after they had made love in the bathroom that night.**

**"****Christ, her phone….she has her phone!" he said out loud. He rushed out into the day room and only Chief Boden and Herrmann were there, waiting for Mills to appear to make breakfast for the rest of the guys.**

**"****Chief, I need to get to CPD right away. I remembered something important that may lead to where Maddy is," he said, out of breath.**

**"****Go," said Boden, making a waving motion with his hand. As Matt ran out of the firehouse, Herrmann turned to Boden.**

**"****Should he be working, Chief? This is fiancee number two that's…." said Herrmann.**

**"****We're all worried about him, but this is how Casey wants it and we're gonna respect that. I've already let Personnel know and they're on standby should he need it," said Boden, cutting Herrmann off.**

**Matt pulled up in front of the CPD, threw his truck in park and hurried into the building. He ran up two flights of stairs, taking two steps at a time until he reached the second floor. He pushed through several sets of swinging glass doors until he was standing beside Detective Wilmont's desk.**

**"****Lieutenant Casey, I was just about to call you. We think we may have a lead to Ms. Coventry's whereabouts," said Wilmont.**

**"****Maddy has her cell phone. I remember tucking it in her bra before we left the office," said Matt, spitting out the words as fast as he could.**

**"****Have you tried calling her," asked Wilmont.**

**"****No...no...I just remembered this morning and I didn't want to do anything before I let you know," said Matt.**

**"****OK, that's good. Look, Ms. Morrison is due here in half an hour. We can all go to the conference room to talk about this. In the meantime, grab a cup of coffee," said Wilmont pointing to a counter at the far end of the bureau. Matt poured himself a cup of coffee and took a donut from the plateful that was on the counter. He sat down in one of the padded chairs that lined the walls of the waiting area while he waited for Emily to arrive. By the time he had finished his coffee and donut, she and Severide arrived.**

**"****Ready for this?" asked Matt.**

**"****She's more than ready. She's been pacing so much, there's a worn area on the wood flooring of my bedroom," said Kelly. Kelly gave Emily a hug, before her and Matt were led into the conference room by Chief Escalante's secretary. Seated at the table were Chief Escalante, Detective Wilmont and two uniformed officers. Wilmont motioned for them to sit on the other side of the table.**

**"****OK, ...we need you to tell us everything you know, beginning with the phone calls you say Ms. Coventry was receiving. When did they start?" said Wilmont, diving right in without so much as an introduction.**

**"****About two weeks ago, maybe three," said Em.**

**"****Did Ms. Coventry ever tell you if the caller ever said anything to her?" asked Wilmont.**

**"****No...she told me they were all hang up calls," said Em.**

**"****How would they contact her?" asked the detective.**

**"****Mostly on her cell phone, but she told me they had started on her work extension too," said Em.**

**"****We searched her car for it, but it was no where to be found. We were hoping to trace the numbers," said Wilmont.**

**"****Maddy still has her cell phone with her. I'm almost positive," said Matt. **

**"****So you said earlier. How do you know that, Lieutenant?" asked Wilmont.**

**"****I told you...I remember tucking it back inside her bra before we left for the hotel," said Matt.**

**"****I'm not even gonna to ask. Ms Morrison, is there anything else you want to share with us?" said Wilmont.**

**"****Last Saturday, Mads and I were out shopping for wedding dresses. When we came out of the second or third bridal shop, I remember Mads staring at a big black car that was parked on the other side of the street. Her face went white. When I asked her if she knew who is was she said no, but she seemed really rattled over it," said Em.**

**"****What kind of big black car?" asked Wilmont.**

**"****It was a Lincoln, I think," said Em.**

**"****Did you happen to get a license plate number? Even a partial would help us," asked the detective.**

**"****I didn't see any of the numbers or letters, but the colors of the plate were yellow and blue...yellow, like a school bus," said Em.**

**"****New York," said Chief Escalante and WIlmont simultaneously.**

**"****Is that significant?" asked Matt.**

**"****It definitely could be. We've searched Ms. Wilmont's office at Lakeshore, including all of her files and on her computer and we think we may have a lead," said WIlmont.**

**"****What is it?" asked Matt.**

**"****Did you know Ms. Coventry had a meeting scheduled with a Mr. Stephen Gage from Westchester, New York on Monday?" asked the detective.**

**"****Yeah, that's her ex-husband. They were going to meet to settle a real estate thing...some building he had purchased for her when they were married. She was going to sign it over to him," said Matt.**

**"****Do you know who Mr. Gage is?" asked Wilmont.**

**"****I just told you….he's Maddy's ex-husband...and a real prick, if you ask me," said Matt.**

**"****No, Lieutenant….he's more than just her ex-husband I'm afraid. His real name is Stephen Gagliano," said Wilmont.**

**"****Maddy said he changed his name for business reasons," said Matt.**

**"****Organized crime reasons, to be more accurate. Stephen Gagliano...or 'Stevie the Slug' as he's more commonly known, is what they call a "consigliere" for the Gambino family syndicate in New York City," said Wilmont.**

**"****Jesus, Maddy said she had a feeling he was involved with the mafia, but she never saw any evidence of it," said Matt.**

**"****He's a very dangerous man, Lieutenant. If he's involved in Ms. Coventry's disappearance, we need to move on this pronto. The word on the street is that he has a beef with one of the higher ups in the Chicago Outfit. This could get very ugly," said Wilmont.**

**"****Then what's next? She's already been missing for three days," said Matt.**

**"****First, we run a DMV check on vehicles registered to Gagliano slash Gage and anyone associated with the Gambino family. If we find a match for the car that Ms. Morrison described, we get a plate number and put out an APB for it. If it's in Chicago, chances are so is Gagliano," said Wilmont.**

**"****And if Gagliano is in Chicago, chances are he has Maddy," stated Matt. **

**"****We can't be sure yet, but we'd be fools to ignore the connection," said Wilmont.**

**"****And you'll keep me informed about anything you find out, right?" asked Matt.**

**"****Of course, Lieutenant," said Wilmont, shaking Matt's hand.**

**As Matt and Emily left the conference room, they saw Severide talking to Antonio Dawson.**

**"****You okay now, Bruiser?" asked Kelly. Emily nodded her head and hugged him tightly as he wrapped his arms around her.**

**"****Good news?" asked Antonio.**

**"****Good news and bad news, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all of it brings her home," said Matt.**

**"****We're all keeping our fingers crossed, Matt," said Antonio.**


End file.
